"He has left Shendu, and he thrust his sword into Shi Jingtang's corpse once more on the way out."
The prominent clans of Shendu were still closely monitoring Xu Ying's movements, and reports poured in one after another.
The scenes that had unfolded earlier were truly appalling, forcing every great clan to reassess Xu Ying.
Previously, they had viewed this rural snake catcher merely as a clever youth—a useful tool to aid their ascension. Inviting Xu Ying to Shendu was meant to turn him into a kept retainer who would decipher the immortal scriptures they had gathered.
Later, word spread that Xu Ying was an immortal person. In their eyes, he transformed from a useful retainer into an edible elixir of longevity.
Indeed, handled properly—such as having a Nuo master from the Zhou clan heal him continuously while his flesh was carved away—he could even serve as an endless source of longevity medicine!
He had become something everyone wanted a piece of.
Now, however, the clans saw Xu Ying in a completely different light.
This tool meant to assist their ascension, this humanoid panacea meant to grant them immortality, had bared razor-sharp fangs!
Although the Shi clan was an upstart family, they were still a prominent lineage guarded by a Nuo immortal. Yet in a single night, the Nuo immortal Shi Mole had been gravely wounded, only for Xu Ying to storm their manor, drag him out, and publicly burn him to death!
Though Shi Mole had actually been devoured by an evil anomaly, in the eyes of Shendu's residents, it was Xu Ying who had burned him alive.
If the great clans dared to hatch any more wicked schemes, they would have to weigh whether the price was worth paying.
Xu Ying's methods struck terror into their hearts.
Yuan Qi revealed his true form—a massive serpent over twenty fathoms long—and glided away from Shendu. Xu Ying and Zhu Chanchan sat atop the great snake's head. Zhu Chanchan was cultivating diligently, refining the immortal medicine within her body.
Having hidden outside the Tushita Palace for over six thousand years, stealing immortal herbs until she turned herself into a medicinal person, she gave off an alluring fragrance whenever she refined medicine, whetting the appetite of anyone nearby.
To say nothing of heavenly fiends, even Xu Ying felt an urge to pull the girl into his arms and take two hearty bites just to satisfy his craving.
"Ah Ying, this girl really will attract heavenly fiends," the bronze bell whispered, having also sensed Zhu Chanchan's allure. "Even I feel that if I could refine her as medicine into my body, my might would surely surge!"
Xu Ying circulated the Heart-Centering Technique taught to him by Pei Du, suppressing the urge to grab the girl and take a bite. "If this goes on, we'll turn into heavenly fiends before any actual fiends even find us. I wonder where Xiao Fengxian went?"
The reason he had been in such a hurry to leave Shendu was precisely because Zhu Chanchan was too enticing. As a humanoid immortal medicine, she was bound to attract heavenly fiends. Xu Ying, as her "Dao protector," certainly could not handle heavenly fiends on his own. Fengxian'er, however, was a phoenix—the natural bane of heavenly fiends and heavenly gods alike. Thus, Xu Ying had resolved to bring Zhu Chanchan along to search for her.
"Brother Xu!"
A familiar voice suddenly called out. Xu Ying looked toward the sound and saw Yuan Weiyang and Uncle Xiao, who had left Shendu at some point to see him off.
Xu Ying had Yuan Qi halt. Yuan Weiyang and Uncle Xiao leaped onto the serpent's back and made their way to Yuan Qi's head. Yuan Qi slithered forward once more, though at a much slower pace.
Yuan Weiyang sniffed the air and remarked in surprise, "What a wonderful aroma!" With that, he cast an astonished glance at Zhu Chanchan.
Xu Ying said, touched, "Brother Yuan, I have enemies across the realm, yet you still dared to come see me off. I truly don't know what to say."
Yuan Weiyang said solemnly, "You came to Shendu to see me, yet suffered so many ambushes. It was my Yuan clan's failure to protect our guest. Now that you are departing, how could I not see you off?"
Xu Ying's thoughts lingered on someone else, and he asked, "How is Sister Rushi?"
A faint smile appeared on Yuan Weiyang's face. Behind him, Uncle Xiao gave a dry cough. Yuan Weiyang's smile vanished, and he replied deadpan, "My younger sister is rather unruly. Mother ordered her to stay home and practice needlework, forbidding her from going outside. Brother Xu, I came all this way to see you off, yet the moment we meet, you ask after my sister. Isn't that somewhat improper?"
Uncle Xiao nodded slightly, thinking, *That was handled appropriately enough.*
Xu Ying felt a twinge of guilt and said, "I've just found myself thinking of Sister Rushi from time to time lately."
Yuan Weiyang kept a stern face. "My sister is unwed and remains in her boudoir. You must not harbor improper thoughts."
The moment he said this, Xu Ying could not help but harbor improper thoughts. Nevertheless, his affection for Yuan Rushi was romantic, whereas with Yuan Weiyang, he shared an intellectual kinship. Sitting atop Yuan Qi's head, the two turned their conversation to the path of cultivation, sharing insights with each other.
Xu Ying explained the modified Crimson Palace Crescent Moon Furnace Crucible Technique he had developed. While the technique was a closely guarded secret of the Guo clan, he only shared the operation method of the Crescent Moon cave-heaven without revealing the core framework of their arts.
"I suspect there are evil entities lurking in the shadows of this world, such as the master of the Mud Pill Palace," Xu Ying said. "When they spread Nuo methods, they often leave behind hidden flaws. Brother Yuan, your natural gifts are extraordinary, and your wit and perception surpass mine. By studying this method, you might be able to deduce the Yuan clan's way of refining immortal medicine to extend the lifespan of your ancestor Yuan Wuji, sparing him misfortune in his later years."
At these words, even Uncle Xiao was visibly moved. This gift was extraordinarily valuable.
A peculiar emotion stirred in Yuan Weiyang's eyes. Composing himself, he put away the incomplete mnemonic and said, "The Yuan clan will never forget Monster King Xu's benevolence. Though our clan has declined, we still know to repay our debts. I know Brother Xu has not yet opened the Yellow Court secret depository and cannot advance your divine sense further."
He retrieved a golden booklet from his robes, tore off the first two pages, and handed them to Xu Ying.
Uncle Xiao's expression changed instantly. "Young Master..."
Yuan Weiyang paid him no heed and smiled. "Mother would never agree to me passing on the Yuan clan's ancestral Yuan Dao Heavens Induction to you, but as the future master of the Yuan clan, I take it upon myself today to gift you the first half."
Uncle Xiao hesitated for a moment, then did not step in to stop him.
The gift Xu Ying had offered was simply too valuable; he had practically saved the Yuan clan. Even if Yuan Weiyang gave him the complete Yuan Dao Heavens Induction, it would hardly balance the scale.
Xu Ying accepted the excerpt of the Yuan Dao Heavens Induction and laughed. "Why don't we have a contest to see who deduces the method to refine the immortal medicine of the Yellow Court secret depository first?"
Yuan Weiyang's eyes lit up, a competitive streak rising within him. He laughed. "Deal! But is Monster King Xu interested in a wager?"
Xu Ying still had the competitive spirit of a youth and asked, "What's the wager?"
Yuan Weiyang's eyes flashed. "I have a sister, as you know. If you comprehend the method to refine the Yellow Court immortal medicine before me, I will take it upon myself to betroth Rushi to you."
Behind him, Uncle Xiao stamped his feet in panic, crying out, "Ai! Ai! Young Master, how could you do such a thing?"
Yuan Qi was stamped until his head spun. He hurriedly protested, "Old Uncle, step lightly! You're trampling my brains out!"
Cold sweat broke out on Uncle Xiao's forehead, his heart burning with anxiety: *Whoever heard of betrothing oneself off just because of losing a bet? Besides, their families are not of equal standing—the Old Matriarch will never agree to this!*
A surge of eagerness warmed Xu Ying's chest. He burst into laughter. "A promise is a promise! But if I lose, I don't have a sister to marry off to you. Why don't I..."
He glanced toward Zhu Chanchan, who was cultivating diligently, and a mischievous thought struck him: *Why not betroth this girl to Brother Yuan...?*
Yuan Weiyang laughed. "If you lose, I don't want your sister. I only ask that you do one thing for me. I haven't thought of what it is yet, but when I do in the future..."
Xu Ying smiled. "Brother Yuan, you are sure to lose."
Yuan Weiyang shook his head. "That remains to be seen. I shall give it my all."
"As will I!"
Yuan Weiyang leaped down from Yuan Qi's head and waved farewell, turning back toward Shendu. Uncle Xiao followed behind him, sighing and lamenting the entire way.
Yuan Weiyang smiled. "Uncle Xiao, do not tell Mother and the Old Matriarch about this."
Uncle Xiao sighed. "Young Master, paper cannot hold fire..."
He meant that this matter could not be concealed from the Old Matriarch for long. But Yuan Weiyang was thinking of something else entirely and said, "You're right. I will choose an opportune moment to tell him what the name 'Yuan Rushi' truly means: that I was a girl all along!"
Uncle Xiao stared, utterly dumbfounded.
Yuan Qi carried Xu Ying and Zhu Chanchan through the rolling mountains, heading in the direction of Mount Song.
The earth shook unceasingly as new mountains and rivers emerged from massive chasms, making Mount Song seem exceedingly far away.
Suddenly, a soul-shaking roar echoed from the mountain forest ahead, jolting the wilderness. Xu Ying looked up and saw a colossal creature crouched beneath a massive waterfall, surrounded by countless giant beasts no smaller than Yuan Qi.
They knelt around the creature like loyal subjects, bowing and worshiping it as mortals would sacrifice to a god.
The creature was an unknown beast with long forelimbs and short hind limbs. Black flames rolled over its body without scorching the forest, individual blossoms of fire floating around it like intricate patterns.
Its aura was terrifying—the presence of an awakened primordial bloodline. Yuan Qi possessed a similar fierce aura, but it was not nearly as intense, and being a Qi Refiner, he concealed it well.
"This is an adolescent primordial behemoth," the bronze bell marveled, emerging from behind Xu Ying's head. "Such creatures are natural kings and primordial gods. The worship of countless beasts grants them unfathomable divine power."
It clicked its tongue in wonder. "Back in my master's era, there weren't so many beast king gods around. Strange, where did these fellows crawl out from?"
The beast king god let out another roar, and the giant beasts beside it surged forward, aiming straight for Zhu Chanchan and her exotic fragrance!
Yuan Qi circulated the True Cultivation of the Ba Snake, his body instantly expanding to a hundred fathoms. Opening his jaws, he seized one of the giant beasts in his teeth and swept his body, knocking the charging beasts off their feet!
He was a demon Qi Refiner, far superior in intellect to these mindless brutes.
Infuriated, the beast king god pounced forward. Sensed that his aura was outmatched and knowing he was no rival, Yuan Qi hastily cried, "Ah Ying!"
Standing on Yuan Qi's brow, Xu Ying raised the stone axe. An earth-shattering ferocity erupted in an instant as blood-red light filled the air. A stroke of axe light flashed downward, severing the beast king god's head. Its massive corpse slid forward, stopping right beneath Yuan Qi's body.
The stone axe was a treasure forged by an ancient clan of giants. It had drunk the blood of countless behemoths, and who knew how many beast king gods had fallen before its blade. Now, having absorbed the beast king god's blood, its murderous aura grew even more intense!
When he channeled the axe, the vision of the surging sea of blood gained the phantom of another beast king god, augmenting its power!
With the beast king god dead, the other giant beasts scattered in panic like monkeys from a falling tree, vanishing without a trace.
Xu Ying put away the ferocious weapon and noticed an imposing stone city not far away. He said immediately, "Seventh Master, we'll rest there tonight. Drag this beast king god over; we'll feast on it this evening."
Yuan Qi agreed and wrapped his tail around the beast king god's corpse, slithering toward the stone city.
As they advanced, the mountain ridges on both sides grew precipitous. The jagged crags looked as though they had been hewn by axes and carved by blades; grotesque rocks protruded like spectral fiends beyond the cliffs, fierce and menacing.
The stone city lay at the end of the gorge, its walls standing tall and its streets laid out in orderly lines.
Xu Ying tilted his head to look up and saw two ancient characters inscribed above the city gate:
Diqiu.
"A strange name," Xu Ying murmured, looking away.
Yuan Qi shrank his body and glided into the city. As they moved along the streets, the steamer baskets of a bun shop were still billowing white steam, and the taverns were still fragrant with the aroma of wine.
They passed a teahouse where the tea in the cups remained piping hot!
At a street corner leaned a peddler's straw pole stuck with paper pinwheels that were still whirring in the breeze, yet neither the peddler nor the children chasing him were anywhere to be found.
The entire city was devoid of a single soul!
Forget people—there wasn't even a rat to be seen! The city was eerily quiet!
It was as if every living thing in the entire city had vanished in an instant, and time had frozen at the very moment of their disappearance. The food would not rot, the hearth fires would not go out, and the tea would not grow cold.
Xu Ying leaped down from the great serpent's head and lifted the lid of a steamer basket at the bun shop. The buns inside were steaming hot and soft, carrying the savory fragrance of scallions and meat that whetted the appetite.
He set the lid back down with a slight frown. Along the street, there was braised beef, glistening red and streaked with yellow ox tendon.
In the tavern next door, the wine was still warm, its rich scent mingling with the aroma of the beef to tempt the senses.
The bronze bell asked in bewilderment, "What happened to this city? Where did all the people go?"
Where had the people gone?
Yuan Qi dropped the corpse of the beast king god and asked, "Ah Ying, there's food here. Do we still need to cook?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "It's best not to touch the food here."
Suddenly, a rumbling tremor sounded in the distance. The other half of the stone city slowly emerged from the dense mist, as if a temporal seal had just been undone, manifesting it out of the river of time.
Yet the inhabitants of the city had vanished without a trace.
Zhu Chanchan woke up as well and looked around with curiosity, asking in confusion, "Where is this place?"
She had grown a bit taller, appearing around ten years old—a lovely, fair young girl. However, her clothes had grown somewhat short on her.
Zhu Chanchan hurriedly pried open Yuan Qi's jaws and slipped inside his belly, changing into Guo Xiaodie's clothes. They were far too large for her, hanging loose and baggy.
"This place is called Diqiu."
A voice suddenly broke the silence. Xu Ying looked toward the sound and saw a white-robed old man walking briskly into the stone city. Xu Ying had seen this old man once before on Mount Wuwang, accompanied by the sorrowful old man.
A thought struck Xu Ying: *The white-haired old man I saw confronting the head of the Cui clan in the Second Shendu last night was him! What is he doing here?*
The white-haired old man chuckled. "Diqiu vanished during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. The entire stone city disappeared into thin air, leaving behind an unsolved mystery. To think I would encounter this mysterious city here! Young Friend Xu, a chance encounter is better than a planned invitation. Who would have thought we'd meet again here? You and I truly share a fateful bond."
Inwardly, the old man thought, *This kid is like a rabbit that never stays in its warren, scurrying all over the place. If he slips out of my sight, wouldn't that ruin everything? I might as well join their group; that way, he won't be able to run away.*
Chapter 107